Freedom, Choice, and Happiness

It's been a fast and productive week. Some things that occurred:

1- I watched a few movies: Rules of the Game (Good, insightful social commentary), Born Yesterday (mediocre-poor, trite social commentary), and on the big screens: Paris Je T'aime (enjoyable albeit piece-meal in format, not social commentary in any substantive sense.

2- I attend DL21C's annual summer bash, attended by a number of politicians. I met Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, who struck me as a pretty decent guy.

3- Rupert Murdoch purchased the Dow Jones, and took control of the Wall Street Journal.

4- Senator Schumer declared his opposition to taxing hedge fund managers at equal marginal rates.

Additionally, I watched a fascinating lecture by Professor Barry Schwartz entitled "The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less"

Professor Schwartz convincingly argues that excess choice can and often decreases human happiness. It's a fairly complex argument that is supported by large empirical trove of data.

The lecture is the most thought-provoking stimulus i've encountered in a year or so, and worth watching.